Hose-supporter.



s. T. SHBPHARD.

HOSE SUPPORTER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1910.

Patented Dec. 1.2, 1911.

attozneg;

sAMUEL T. SHEPHARD, or ALBANY, NEW YORK.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known thatI, SAMuEL T. Snnmmnn;

a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and Stateof New'York, have invented a new and use-' --ful'Hose-Supporter, of which the following I is a specification.

This'invention relates to hose supporters for men s u'se, and-has for its object-g the provision of a light and inexpensive device which may be-worn withoutany liability'of injurious effects due to excessive pressure placed upon the limb whereby proper circulation of the blood is prevented.- 1

F1 The invention-also has for its objectthe' provision of a garter which will be free of elastic and at the same time will be held "firmly in its proper-position without causin'g'discomfort tothe wearer, and which, through the absence of elastic, will be ex-.

' 'ceedingly durable inasmuch as the ordiharyelastic webblng soon deteriorates and 1 becomes useless through the action of perspiration and heat. further object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose stated which-will be so formed that no metal parts will be in contact with the flesh and injury to"the same will be thereby avoided, and

finally the invention seeks to provide a device for the purpose stated which will firmly support the hose and prevent the dropping of the same, and which may be quickly applied or removed from the limb of the user.

The several stated objects, and such other incidental objects as may hereinafter appear,.are attained in the use of a device such as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in certain novel features which will be hereinafter first fully described and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a garter embodyin my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail rear elevation of a portion of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the spring. 6 is a detail perspective view of the button.

In the drawings there is shown a tape or band 1- which is constructed of non-elastic fabric and'has at one end a buckle 2 for the purpose of adjusting the effective lengthof the band. U;,shaped spring 3 of rod or wire of suit- Specification of Letters fatalit- Applieatioii filed April 'Z, 1910. Serial No. 554,084.

There is, also, provided a I Hose-surnames.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

able diameter with the legs thereof straight for the greater portion of their length and the free ends of the legs connected one to one end of the band and the other to a to the leg of the wearer and the person standing, is pendent from the band and the bend or bight of this spring is lowermost. ThlS slmple spring member with the two straight legs connected at the free ends to, the ends of theband 1, one end directly and the other through the-hook and eye 5 and 6,

constitutes the sole elastic portion of the garter and the free ends of the spring have a normal position of rest from which the ends are separated when the garter is applied to'the leg of" the wearer,-so that the tendency of the displaced ends is to cause the band 1 to clasp the leg of the wearer with a yielding embrace which will hold the garter against slipping, but which may exert such a gentle pressure as not to be either uncomfortable or injurious. The separation of the free ends of the U-shaped spring tends to bend the spring at the bight or bend where the two legs are united and constant bending of this portion of the spring tends to cause a breaking of the spring at such point of bending. To overcome this tendency and at the same time imparting to the spring a desirable stiffness without the necessity of increasing the thickness of the wire forming the legs of the spring, the bend or bight of the spring is reinforced by a stirrup 7 extending around the bend of the spring and for an appropriate distancealong thc'straight portions of the legs 3, this stirrup also having another function which will be referred to hereinafter. The stirrup is comparatively rigid, that is, it will bend but to a slight extent under the force tending'to separate the free ends of the spring :nr'ie from the other. The free ends of the legs of the spring are bent first one toward the other, so that in their norma-hposition of'rest they overlap and are loo then bent away one from the other to grin at 9 in Fig. 3. The entire spring member where exposed. and the stirrup are covered with a'sheath 10 of suitable material, such as textile material, so that there are no.

metal parts exposed, thus protecting. both the metal parts of the device and the wearer of the garter.

Hung from the free ends ofthe spring by a cord 11 is a piece of textile fabric 12 carrying a button 13 adapted tovextend between the legs or branches of the spring and thereby hold the fabric of the hose 14 in engagement with'the bight of the spring, the head of the button'being preferably serrated or provided with small teeth or spurs 15 at diametrically opposite points to engage the fabric of the hose and thereby prevent slipping thereof.

To secure the garter to the fabric ofthe hose the head of the button is covered with a portion of the fabric and together with the fabric is then introduced between the legs of the spring which are forced apart for the purpose and on the release of-the springthe return of the legs of the spring toward the normal position under the: re-

silient action of the spring will cause the button and the fabric covering thesameto be firmly clasped against. withdrawal. The neck of the button and the separation of the facing portions of the reinforcement or stirrup 7 may be so proportioned that the'button 1 covered by the fabric of the hose may be seated in the stirrup and be clasped thereby when the legs ofthe spring have been released from the force applied ,to'

separate them for the introduction ofthe button. The cord 11 constitutes a flexible attachment for the button which will prevent its loss or misplacement.

g The advantages of the construction and thereof,

of the method of operation will be readily. apparent to those skilled in the artto which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operatlon of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made whendesired as are within the scope of the claims appenvrllgd hereto.

Ha g thus described the invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure-by Letters Patent, is a -1-. In a hose supporter, a supporting band, a resilient U-sha'ped hose engaging member having substantially straight legs connected at the ends to the ends of the band, the said U-shaped member being provided at the bight'or bend with .a U-shaped stirrup constituting a reinforcement, and a button carried by the hose engaging member and pro vided with a shank adapted to engagebe tween the legs of the u-s'h'aped stirrup or reinforcement. 1

' 2. A hose supporter comprising a supporting band, a resilient U-shaped hose engaging member having straight legs terininating at the free ends-in return bends hav- -.ing a normal tendency to overlap and re- 'spectively connected to the ends of the sup; porting member having at ;the bight or bend a. U- shaied stirrup or,"reinforcement rendering the tie of the legs of the hos'. e gagin member, and a 'button" adapted to have it? shank lodged between the legs oft U-shaped reinforcement to confine'h se thereto.

- In testimony,'t hat, I claim the foregoing ture n the'presence of'two witnesses.

I I SAMUEL T; SHEPHARD. vWitnesses: AMBROSE MA'rrooxs,

A. Mlrcnnm.

and,the ,U-shaped hose engaging 7 l desire to have it understood that V ightor bend stifi'er thanthe main por-"' 

